Spring cushion and frame



' April'lz, 1932- D. s. BARNARD ET AL 1,853,031

SPRING CUSHION A ND FRAME Filed June 15, 1929 Patented Apr. 12,1932.

UNITED T TES PATENT OFFICE.

nnnn s. BARNARD, or EINSDALE, AND WILLIAM EMPACHEB, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, assrenons 'ro THEROMECOMPANY, INQ, n oonronArron or, NEW YORK srnme cnsnron, Ann FRAME 7 Application filed June 15,

springsare connected. Theremaybe such a frame at the top and at the bottom, or the frame may be placed simply at the top while other means are provided for supporting the springs fronibelow as, for example, in the case of common forms of bed springs.

' Viewed in one of its aspects, the present invention may be said to have for its object an improved construction .of frame. or an improved means for securing the springs to the frame. 1 V I In a common type of bed spring, for example, the boundmg frame at the top is made of a heavy wire to which the uppermost coils of the border springs are fastened. The wire is light enough so as toobe, in a sense, flexible, namely capable of yielding locally under an imposed load. The means heretofore employed for securing the springs to this wire frame have left what may be termed the effective surface of the frame in a rough and irregular condition. Viewed in one of its aspects, the present invention may be said to have for its objectto make possible the use of a comparatively flexible frame which shall have, however, a substantially smooth exposed surface.

, One of, the difficulties encountered in springs of the type under discussion is that the fastenings between the springs and the frame, are apt to slip. Viewed in one of its aspects, thespresent invention may be said to .45 have for its object a simple and novel means for fastening the outer springs of a spring cushion to a s'urrounding'frame in such a way that the surfaces of the frame on the exterior of the cushion are left smooth and,

at the same time, the fastenings are positive- 1929. Serial No. 371,291.

ly held in frame. In carrying out our'invention we employ tubular elementshaving thereon ears adapted to be bent around the wires of the springs to fasten the springs to the frame. These tubular elements may be in the form of a single long endless tube bent into the proper shape; they may be in the form of such a tube fitting about a core that may beisimply a wire such" as has heretofore been used for the frame; or theymay be elements surrounding the wire of an ordinary or other frame and be tied together against displacement.

I The various features of novelty whereby our invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the proper spaced relation'on the claims; but, for a full understanding of our invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may-be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figurel is a more or less diagrammatic plan view ofa spring cushion embodying our invention, only a few of the coiled springs being shown; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the meeting ends of a composite member adapted to produce a preferred. formof frame; Fig. '3 is a section on line of Fig. 2; Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are respectively an inner, an outer and a bottom view of a fragment of the frame and of one of thesprings, showing the connection between the same; and Fig. 7 is a section taken approximately on. line 77 of Fig. 4:.

Referringto the drawings, 1 represents the upper coil or turn of oneof a group of vertical coiled'springs of any desired number and having any desired size and shape. The group of springs is surroundedby a frame that gives shapeto the cushion; the outermost or. border springs being fastened to the frame. i

In the dr'awingswe have illustrated only a preferred" form of frame and fastening means. Theframe as illustrated comprises i s-bent to form a continuous frame of the de sired size andshape. As illustrated in Fig.

2, the wire may project beyond the sheathing at one end, and the sheathing may project beyond the wire at the other end. Therefore, when the ends are brought together the protruding wire slips into the socket formed by the projecting meeting end of the sheathing and consequently a strong stiff joint between the meeting ends of the frame member may be obtained. The tubular sheathing may conveniently be made of a strip of sheet metal that is bent or rolled about the core, the line of the meeting edges of the sheet being on the underside of the frame. The sheathing is provided with suitable clip devices adapted to engage the coils of the outermost springs and secure them to the frame. In the arrangement shown, these clip devices are in the form of ears projecting at proper intervals from the long edges of the sheet or strip out of which the sheathing is formed. These ears may conveniently be disposed in groups of three. In other words, there are single ears 4 distributed along one of the long edges of the strip or sheet. each of these ears lying between two ears, 5, 5 on the opposite edge or side of the sheet or strip. Each group of three ears constitutes a clip or fastening means. In the manufacture of the composite frame the ears may be allowed to take the posit ons that they will naturally assume when the strip or sheet is bent into tube form, more or less as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Furthermore, the ears 5, 5 are preferably on the outer sides of the frame while the ears 4 are on the inner side. The groups of cars are so spaced with respect to each other that when the frame is placed about a nest or a group of springs. each set of ears will register with one of the outermost or border springs. The upper turn or coil of each of the border springs is sl pped between the ears of the corresponding group, the ear 4 lying on the inside, and the ears 5, 5 on the outside. The ear 4 is then bent outwardly and upwardly and the corresponding ears. 5, 5 are then bent inwardly and upwardly. The length of the ears is such that after the ears have been bent about the wires of the springs until their free ends come n contact with the body portion of the sheathing, closed bearing seats are provided for the wires of the springs. and these wires are held to the frame. It will be seen, however, that the connections between the springs and the frame are in the form of hinges that permit the springs to swing on the frame about axes parallel with the long axes of the corresponding sides of the frames.

It will be seen that in the completed cushion the exposed surface of the frame is continuous and smooth, the joint in the sheathing and the holding clips being on the underside.

If desired, the wire or core 2 may be omitted. Furthermore, it will be seen that the sheathing may be said to constitute a series of tubular elements each provided with clip devices or ears, the sections of the sheathing between these tubular elements constituting connecting and spacing means.

While we have illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form of our invention, we do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which come within the definitions of our invention constituting the appended claims.

We claim 1. The combination with a group of vertical coiled springs and a wire frame surrounding the same at the top thereof, of a tube fitted over the wire of the frame and completely covering the same, said tube having integral clips engaged with the upper turns of the outermost springs to secure them to the frame.

2. The combination with a group of vertical coiled springs, of a smooth continuous tubular member surrounding the same, said tubular member being provided on the under side with integral clips engaged with the outermost springs and securing the latter to said tubular member.

3. A frame for a spring cushion comprising a continuous member consisting of a wire and an enclosing tube fitting over and completely covering the same, and bendable ears distributed along said tube on the under side of the frame.

4. A frame for a spring cushion comprising a wire core, and a covering for the core consisting of a tube formed of a sheet of metal bent around said core and extending throughout the entire length of the same, said sheet being widened at intervals to provide projecting ears.

In testimony whereof, we sign this specification.

DEAN S. BARNARD. W. EMPACHER. 

